1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an auto booster seat and, more particularly, to a booster seat for a child having a seat shell, a shield slidably received thereby and resilient means urging the shield upwardly against the force of a car seat which tends to urge the shield downwardly.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many types of child car seats and booster seats are in wide use today throughout the automotive and child care industries. Auto booster seats are specifically designed for use by a child older and larger than an infant, hence, for example, 40 to 60 pounds, and are simply intended to raise the elevation of a child so he or she is not simply looking at the back of the front seat. Booster seats are designed for the convenience and safety of the child, the convenience of the parents, all within the framework of increased safety.
A large number of auto booster seats exist in the prior art. Auto booster seats of multipiece construction are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,787 to Labadie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,591 to Mauron; U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,122 to Kain; U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,208 to McDonald; U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,474 to Wise; 4,671,574 to Kassai; 4,687,255 to Klanner; 4,765,685 to Sudoh; and 4,984,845 to Knoedler. Although each of these prior art patents advanced the state of the art to one extent or another, none provides the magnitude of increased safety and convenience with reduced cost of that associated with the present invention.
Additional child car seat are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,275,923 and 4,463,984, both to Molnar and both of a one-piece construction. Utility of such one-piece car seats are limited particularly if a one-piece lap belt is the only available coupling with the seat of the automobile.
Additional patents of interest included U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,033,623 to Thary; 4,502,732 to Williams; and 4,946,180 to Bear. The Thary patent relates to a safety restraint positionable in front of a child. The Williams device features a one-piece component positionable over the lap of a child for warppable interrelationship with a lap-type seat belt. Lastly, the Bear reference discloses a child support for use as a safety car seat stroller, high chair, crib or the like.
No prior art auto booster seat, however, has the capability to restrain a child over a wide variety of child sizes, features maximum safety for the child seated therein, has maximum convenience of use for the parent and can be used with either a simple lap seat belt or a three-point car seat as does the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved auto booster seat adapted to support a child in the seat of a vehicle for functioning in cooperation with a conventional seat belt to secure the child and auto booster seat with respect to the seat of a vehicle in the event of an accident or sudden acceleration or deceleration, the auto booster seat comprising a seating shell in a generally rectangular configuration having side edges and front and rear edges and having a lower surface positionable on the seat of the vehicle and an upper surface for receipt of a child sitting thereon, the seating shell having projections extending upwardly adjacent to the side edges, each projection having a forward extent adjacent to the front edge and a rearward extent adjacent to the rear edge, a cutout formed into each projection and upwardly directed front and rear surfaces, the front and rear surfaces extending from the forward extent of the projections and angled downwardly toward the rearward extent, and a guide pin formed in each front surface and rearsurface in axial alignment; a shield adjustably positioned within the cutouts of the shell and having a rectangular body with lateral edges, each lateral edge, including an upper surface in sliding contact with a rear surface and with a lower surface in sliding contact with a front surface, each upper and lower surface having a slot with a reciprocating plunger therein adapted to releasably receive a guide pin for slidable coupling of the shield with respect to the seating shell; and wherein the shell has an upper surface with a forward and a rearward flange extending between the lateral edges with a curved bearing surface therebetween to receive a car seat belt for holding the shell downwardly; and resilient means within the shield to resiliently urge the shield upwardly with respect to the seating shell.
A further object of the present invention is to maximize the safety of a child riding in a car seat.
A further object of the present invention is to render the child car seat convenient for the parent when placing the child in a car seat and securing the child thereto through a seat belt.
A further object of the present invention is to provide versatility to an auto booster seat whereby it may be used with either a two-piece or a three-piece seat belt.
A further object of the invention is to utilize a child booster seat either with or without an associated safety shield.
A further object of the present invention is to reduce the cost and parts of an auto booster seat while maximizing their safety and convenience.
These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the summary of the invention, and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.